Another Master
by Forge2
Summary: AU. The Master has always been the most powerful individual he knows, the most terrible of the undead. Now someone has come from beyond this world, a stranger with two hearts and powers beyond imagening-a Timelord. Xover with Doctor Who
1. The Master is Dead Long live the Master!

Prologue: The Master is Dead! Long live the Master!  
  
The flames were fading into the pale echo of light. A few hundred wicks slowly, inexorably dimming. It was a church, or rather the twisted distortion of one. A church sinking deep into the very earth. This degraded remnant of a holy place was now the abode of an ancient creature, the Master. Over the countless centuries the demon within had shaped his appearance. He was a vampire, the eldest, head of his Order and a prisoner. Trapped by mystic bounds he must carry out his schemes my proxy. The tread of booted foot was soft, and nimble. Even Luke, his greatest servant, did not stir from his slumber but the Master had not survived this long without sharpening his skills, his senses. The stranger strolled into the lair without any sign of fear. This one was either very brave or very foolish. The Master thought the latter. He surveyed the stranger from his throne. The man was bathed in black. The silent boots were black, as were his pants and silk shirt. A dark trench coat stretched down to his ankles. The only color was on his head. The stranger wore a mask, forged of gold, that encircled his entire head. It was incrusted with rubies and diamonds worth more than all of Sunnydale.  
"Luke!" The Master shouted waking them all. Over twenty vampires rose to their feet, all of them hungry. At their head was Luke, the greatest of their number, undefeated. "We have an uninvited guest...kill him!"  
"With pleasure..." Before Luke had taken three steps the stranger sprung into action. He reached into his coat and removed his signature weapon. There was a flash. Where Luke had been sat a shrunken corpse, dead as the proverbial doornail. In less than ten seconds, the Master's champion had been eliminated.  
"That was disappointing," the stranger spoke for the first time, his voice held a spine-chillingly urbane quality. "I was rather hoping for a challenge, the fearsome lords of the Undead all gathered together," he chuckled darkly. "Unfortunately I'm finding this encounter to be somewhat anticlimactic." The Master rose angrily to his feet, determined to regain control of the situation.  
"Well then, I'm sure we can add some excitement. Kill him!" The Master was accustomed to being obeyed. His servants feared him more than any adversary, except this one. The masked stranger with his mighty weapon was uncanny in his calm, the opposite of the Master's primal rage. No one moved. "I said kill him!" Still no one moved.  
"Perhaps it might be best if you were to try...unless of course you are afraid." The Master almost responded to the bait, almost charged into the mystic barrier, almost made a fool of himself but he didn't. He was too wily for that. "I beg your pardon," the stranger continued. "I had forgotten that you were trapped, caught like a fly in amber," The same chuckle echoed darkly. "A very apt metaphor, don't you agree?" The Master's reply was lost when he glimpsed Darla sneaking in.  
"Thank you for an amusing diversion but now it is time to die..." She was in position, ready to strike. "Now Darla!" The Master would enjoy watching this death...Darla hadn't moved. The stranger laughed. This was no subtle chuckle but a pronouncement of victory.  
"I'm afraid that Darla serves another master now..."  
"She would not dare. She is a creature of Aurelius, my creature." Darla moved to stand by the stranger.  
"Not any more, I gave her a better offer. To use an Earth idiom, she's been headhunted. In fact, I suggest you look at this as a hostile takeover..." He gestured grandly all around him. "Kneel...." And they did, all of them, all except the Master.  
"Who are you?"  
"I'm your namesake. Across the cosmos, billions tremble at my feet.I am usually refered to as the Master, and you have just become redundant." There was a flash and the Master had joined his servant, another corpse in miniature. The Master laughed. He sauntered to the throne, stopping to squash the Master, the other Master, under his foot. He sat down gingerly and looked at his new minions. "You know," he said as he scrapped vampire off his boot. "I could learn to love the view..." The insane cackle echoed throughout the chamber sending shivers down even Darla's back. The Master is dead, long live the Master... 


	2. Unpleasant Revelations

--I Own Nothing...except my cloths...and my house...and...etc...  
It all belongs to Joss and the BBC--  
  
Chapter One: Unpleasant Revelations  
  
The moon peaked from behind the clouds and gazed briefly at the graveyard. It was nothing special, just one of a dozen or more spread throughout the town. Wait a moment...is that...no, it couldn't be. It is! A creature tearing at the ground and rising from its grave. Andy Stone, RIP no more. A fledgling vampire, newborn into the world has a certain amount of strength and arrogance. They have not yet learned respect for their betters. They should hope that it is their sire who teaches them that lesson. Unfortunately for Andy, his teacher was one Buffy Summers: former cheerleader, Homecoming Queen, and oh yea Vampire Slayer. Andy threw a punch but she blocked it and delivered two spinning kicks sending him to the ground. She pulled the stake out and rendered Andy into dust. Buffy sighed.  
"Now I have dust all over my shirt..." Buffy walked off humming then stopped and looked around. Nothing. "I know you're here..." Nothing. "Fine." She strode off purposefully. In the shadows the Master stirred but a hand held him back. Angel slipped by quietly shadowing the Slayer.  
Darla released her grip and the Master rose to his feet.  
"Look at him," Darla said, disgusted. "Trailing after her like a faithful dog."  
"Who is he to incur such a tone?"  
"Angelus, my childe, the scourge of Europe."  
"Indeed?"  
"The most vile creature ever born, now house broken." The Master bent down to study the dust, there was no indication that he was listening. His face was hidden by the mask. "He has a soul!" The disgust was palpable. The Master chuckled.  
"A soul?...I have found such things to be over rated. I too have a soul and it has yet to stop me..."  
"Well it stopped him. He's become the champion of the people, help the helpless..." The Master looked where Angel had gone.  
"He seems to be more concerned with stalking high school girls. Need I add that that is not usually a sign of good intentions."  
"He was protecting her..." The Master turned to Darla.  
"And it seems to me that you are spending an inordinate amount of time defending him." He lifted her head up and peered into her eyes. "That is a weakness, my dear. You favor him. See that it does not get you killed..."  
"I don't favor him!" She vamped out in anger but the Master merely put a gloved finger to her lips.  
"Temper, temper...anyway that is enough about your wayward childe. She fought well. Better than I was given to believe..." Darla cried out in pain. The implant worked surprisingly well, sending pain shooting throughout her body. It was one of the Master's more effective tools. "Perhaps, my dear, you would like to explain your error?" The pain subsided.  
"That was a fledgling, a weak vampire not yet full grown. Even a mere human could have staked him. This Slayer would not last against a experienced opponent...."  
"Are you, per chance, volunteering?" Darla smiled like a little girl who just got her favorite doll.  
"Oh please, would you let me kill her? Please, please, please..."  
"Darla!" She stopped. "You sound unusually like a belligerent teenager, always whining. No I will not let you kill her. You have been a naughty girl and I am not in the habit of rewarding incompetence." Darla snarled but the Master was already leaving. He made his way out weaving between the tombstones with catlike grace. Suddenly a light bulb flicked to life in Darla's head.  
"Wait!" she cried, an idea already taking shape. "Wait," the Master turned. "I have a plan."  
  
The light was still on in the Summers household when Buffy arrived. Joyce had waited up. Buffy glanced at her watch. 12:45. Oh sh...  
"Buffy..." She didn't turn. "Oh look it's my friendly neighborhood stalker. So," she turned. "What's the what? No let me guess: 'You're in grave danger.' Gee Thanks! Got to go, see you next month." She turned and bounded up the steps.  
"Wait," cried Angel. "You're in grave..." he trailed off. "Look something big is happening."  
"That's your second favorite catch phrase. Thank you but I already know about the Master so..."  
"The Master is dead!"  
"You can just go off and...what?" Buffy stared at Angel in shock. Her mother chose that moment to open the door...  
  
Giles cleaned is glasses. Again. It was the third time in as many minutes.  
"You're sure he's dead?"  
"That's what Angel said..."  
"But the Master was the greatest of his kind, the oldest and most powerful vampire. What could have possibly killed him?"  
"Angel didn't know. At least I don't think he did. Mom opened the door and was giving me a look."  
"Ouch," said Willow. "She must have been mad."  
"It was a quarter to one in the morning and I was standing in the street alone with a guy."  
"Double ouch!!"  
"Could we please return to more important matters..."  
"This is important, Giles! I'm grounded!" Xander bounded into the library.  
"What did I miss?" He asked.  
"I'm grounded!" Said Buffy.  
"You're grounded? What happened?"  
"I was caught alone with Angel."  
"Oh...Oh!" Xander did a double take. "When you say alone, do you mean alone?"  
"That is enough!" Giles said. "Could we please return to the topic at hand?"  
"Um...what is the topic at hand?"  
"The Master is dead, Xander." Said Willow.  
"Right ok...so what's the problem? Isn't that a good thing?"  
"Giles is worried about whatever killed him. He/she/it would have to be extremely powerful and we know nothing about it."  
"Bloody right I am. When you see Angel again, ask him what killed the Master." Buffy nodded.  
"Now," said Xander. "Back to my question..."  
  
The Vampires stood at attention. Two dozen of them, all lined up in a military fashion. Before them stood the Master, his mask glinting in the torchlight. At his side stood Darla. "In your hands." He said. "You hold the key to my ascension. With the scanners I have given you, you shall find the Hellmouth. I need to know its exact location. Whoever finds that will receive a great reward. That vampire shall be given this world to rule as you see fit. It would amuse me to see the Earth controlled by someone with your kind's...appetite." He paused for a moment. "Now would be a good time." The vampires sprang into action. Darla waited until they were all gone before demanding: "You said you would give the world to me." "I will." "But you just..." "Darla, my dear, would it surprise you to learn that not only am I a villain but I am also a pathological liar? The world is yours, once I have what I came for." "If you're such a liar, why should I believe you?" "Blind faith..."  
It was night again. Buffy was in the graveyard, again. Angel was following her, again. "I know you're there," said Buffy. Angel stepped into the light. "We need to talk." "No kidding. We have to stop seeing each other only in the dead of night." "But he can only see you in the dead of night when all dead are walking," Darla emerged from the shadows. "Isn't that right darling?" "Darla!" Angel wasn't pleased. "Angel, it's been a lifetime...or two. Whatcha been doing?" She glanced at Buffy. "What collage do you go to?" Buffy reached slowly for her stake. Something seemed wrong. "I'm in High School." "Yes, of course you are. Angel, you're robbing the cradle, you naughty boy. You should know better. Babies always have such sour blood, and they scream so loudly when you bite them. Some are too young to even be afraid and where's the fun in that? After all like you said: 'fear is part of the attraction'." Darla laughed. "Angel, what's going on? Who is she?" "Get out of here! Run Buffy!" "Ah the night in shining armor." muttered Darla. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what is going on." Buffy crossed her arms and gave the panted Summers glare. "I agree," said Darla. "She has a right to know, everything." Darla smirked. "You keep out of this," Angel snarled. "No this involves me too. I deserve to know why you trail after the Slayer like a lost puppy. Have you no pride Angelus? Have you no sense of decency?" "Angel..." Buffy warned. "Go on," Darla urged. "Maybe she'll understand." "Buffy...I'm, well you see...I'm a...a..." Darla chuckled. "Here, let me make this easier." She pulled on a pair of gloves and removed a cross from her pocket. "Here, catch..." She tossed it and Angel caught it reflexively. It sizzled and he dropped it immediately. It was only when he saw the look of horror on Buffy's face that he realized: he had vamped out...  
  
Coming Soon: The Master finds a Hellmouth of his very own Darla is a pain in the neck 


	3. Darkness Risen

Chapter Two: Darkness Risen  
  
The sun beat down hard on the black Toyota. For all its effort, the sun could not penetrate the tinted windows. This was a life saving miracle for the vehicle's inhabitants. "Life" is perhaps not the best term since both men were, in fact, undead (side effects include: intense allergy to sunlight, crosses, and a tendency to turn to dust.) The scanner in Pat's hand beeped.  
"Turn left, I think we found it!" Pat cried and Colin was quick to comply. The car raced down the street nearly knocking an old lady to the ground. "I can smell the world at our feet," said Pat. Colin sneered.  
"You couldn't smell blood if it was on your face." The beep was getting more insistent.  
"There! It's in there!" Pat was ecstatic.  
"Very apt," chuckled Colin as he parked the car on the curb. He flipped open his cell phone and dialed. A deep accented voice answered.  
"Report."  
"We've found it, I repeat we have found it!"  
"Bravo," was the reply. "So pray tell, where is my little Hellmouth hiding?"  
"At the high school!"  
"Thank you, Colin is it?"  
"And Patrick!" Pat cut in, not willing to be sidelined.  
"Yes, of course, Patrick and Colin, I thank you for your contribution. Here is your reward..." The tainted windows began to roll down letting the fatal sunlight in. The two vampires didn't even have time to scream. "Idiots," the Master chuckled. "Darla, my dear, I have found my Hellmouth."  
"Good job," Darla said without feeling.  
"I do not need your congratulations. In any case the first phase is almost complete and I feel that I must remind you that Angel and company are merely the sideshow. I am granting you a great deal of freedom. I have allowed you to partake in your own little schemes. I hope, for your sake, that you do not give me cause to regret it..."  
  
Buffy wasn't in history class, or science class. She had made an appearance in English but her mind was elsewhere. It focus was primarily on the ridges, and fangs of one particular vampire.  
"There's mention some two hundred years ago in Ireland of, Angelus, the one with the angelic face." Giles had said.  
"They got that right," Buffy had muttered. She thought no one had heard but Xander made a gagging sound.  
"Does this, uh, Angel have, um, a tattoo behind his right shoulder?" Giles was trying to be tactful.  
"Yes," Buffy answered. "A bird or something  
"You saw him naked?!" Xander had practically shouted. Giles continued as if Xander had not spoken.  
"Angelus left Ireland, wreaks havoc in Europe for several decades, and then, um, about eighty years ago, the most curious thing happens. He, he comes to America, shuns other vampires and lives alone. There's, there's no record of him hunting here."  
"So he's a good vampire?! I mean, on a scale of one to ten, ten being someone who's killing and maiming every night, and one being someone who's... not." Willow sounded hopeful, a good friend.  
"Willow, there is no such thing as a good vampire. They are vicious and savage, nothing more than animals." Giles sounded almost reluctant, but facts were facts.  
"It seems obvious what we do now," Xander, by contrast, was positively gleeful. "I mean: You Slayer, he Vampire," Xander mimed staking. Buffy didn't respond.  
  
"I'm afraid that Xander is right, it is your duty..."Yes it was her duty but still, something seemed wrong...  
  
Twilight fell, that small time between night and day when most began to wrap up their affairs. It was also the time when vampires began their prowls. Darla was out now. She had slipped out of the lair when the Master wasn't looking. Who was he to treat her like a child? She was well past her 500th year. She was no sideshow. Let the Master wave about his silly machines, she had more important things to do. Darla reached out to ring the doorbell. Angel didn't stand a chance.  
"Hello," the door swung open to reveal Joyce Summers with an inquiring look in her eyes. "Can I help you?" Darla put on her most innocent smile.  
"Hi Mrs. Summers, I'm Darla..." Joyce tilted her head as if to say: So? "Buffy didn't mention me?"  
"No I don't remember..."  
"We were supposed to study together. We have a history test tomorrow and..."  
"Well, I'm sure she'll be here soon. Please come in." Darla's smile was diabolical.  
  
The Master locked his mask in place and adjusted his jacket.  
"Night has fallen," he whispered. "Come like a shroud to cloak us, to hide us." He chuckled bitterly. "Here I am, forced to slink in the shadows and hide my face from the sun. Forced to keep the company, if you may be called company, of vampires. Blood drinkers, twisted abhorrence made to roam the night so that the sun need not see your faces. In that, at least, we are alike. You will pay for this degradation. I will watch them drink you dry, Doctor." He was shouting by the end. Then he sighed and calmed himself. "But patience is a virtue. Come." He gestured to his minions. "Come, let us begin..."  
  
"Mrs. Summers..." Darla skipped down the stairs.  
"Yes dear?" Darla crept up behind Joyce.  
"Is it ok if I find myself something to eat?" Darla didn't wait for a response. She grabbed Joyce's head and wrenched it back in a single motion. Her face took on its hellish visage and she sunk her fangs into the exposed neck.  
The sound of struggle brought Angel charging in. He had been lingering outside arguing with himself. The sight brought him to a standstill. Against his will, Angel found his attention drawn to the blood on Joyce's neck. He could hear her heart pounding, pouring the rich liquid throughout her body. He felt a deep painful hunger course through him. Just a small taste, it wouldn't hurt. Darla smiled, as though she could read his thoughts. She threw the body carelessly to Angel.  
"Go on, have a taste..." Angel had never seen a more delicious sight. His stomach rumbled. The heart eats grew louder until they threatened to drown out even his thoughts. Thump, thump. No this is, thump, wrong. She, thump, is, thump, I, thump, shouldn't, thump, do, thump, this, thump! Thump! Thump! He couldn't help it as his fangs slid easily into her throat. He almost didn't hear the key turn in the door. He looked up panicked. Darla waved a cheerful goodbye and exited via the back door.  
"Buffy..." Angel whispered. She stared, motionless. She took in Angel's blood covered face, and the marks on her mother's neck. Fear, shock, and betrayal shot across her face but were replaced with hate pure, unadulterated hate, and rage. Angel had never, in 240 years, run as hard and fast as he did then but Buffy did not follow. She rushed to her mother's side. She hadn't been ready before but she was now. Angel would pay!  
He didn't stop running until he reached his apartment. It was all over now, he had failed. He was also not alone.  
"Get out!" There was unchecked menace in his voice but Darla paid no head.  
"Is that any way to speak to your only friend?"  
"You're not a friend."  
"But I'm all you got, darling. I'm your only hope cause sooner or latter, your high school girl is gona come to kill you..." She paused to let her words sink in. "Join me Angel! Together we could bring the world to its knees, bath in the blood of innocents...literally."  
"You disgust me!"  
"I made you! I brought you up to be a proper little killer and you surpassed even me. So don't you dare say I disgust you! Angelus...Angel, the world could be ours. We could create a living hell for all the sheep, the cattle of humanity. We could reign supreme."  
"We don't have that kind of power."  
"My Master does!"  
"The Master is dead."  
"Yes, but I serve another Master now..."  
  
Joyce's eyes flickered open. The hospital room was crowded, filled with Buffy. Her friends and a strange man who Joyce didn't know.  
"Mom...?" Joyce's eyes focused on her daughter.  
"Buffy, I don't..."  
"Easy Mom, the Doctor said you should rest. You've lost a lot of blood."  
"The Doctor..."  
"Doctor Smith, he's new to the staff."  
"Him?" Joyce gestured to the stranger.  
"Oh no," Buffy smiled. "That's just Giles, the librarian."  
"The librarian?" Joyce felt as though she was missing something. She never thought her daughter would know a librarian, much less what he was doing here.  
"How do you do. I'm Rupert Giles." Joyce shook the offered hand. "We were all very worried."  
W-what happened?" She directed the question to Giles but it was Buffy who answered.  
"You were attacked!"  
"Oh, um, is your friend ok?" Buffy looked puzzled.  
"All my friends are here Mom."  
"No what about that nice young girl...Darla I think she said her name was..." In her weakened state Joyce didn't wonder too much at the pure shock on her daughter's face.  
  
The Library was empty. Everyone was at the hospital. Thus, there was no one to see the two dozen vampires as they swarmed the room lugging numerous pieces of advanced equipment. The anticipation was high. Success was at hand. The doors swung open and the Master strode in.  
"A library, how quaint." He gestured around with a gloved hand. "I take it that this is it, the Mouth of Hell?"  
"Yes Master." Snyder choose that moment to come charging in, undaunted.  
"What do you think you're doing? This is a school. I have you all arrested if you don't leave immediately!" No one moved. "Listen this is my school and what I say goes!" The only reply was a chuckle and the muffled applause of two gloved hands.  
"Little man, you should show more respect. You are in the company of many who would love to drain the blood from your veins..." The Master put an arm around Snyder's shoulders. "But don't be afraid. I'll save you..." His grip became tighter. "We are standing at the Gates of Hell itself. Perhaps, it would be prudent to knock...?" He lifted Snyder into the air effortlessly. "Go on, little man, knock..." Snyder's blood dripped onto the floor, slowly, inexorable to an accompanying chuckle...  
  
Darla wiped the blood from her mouth, her blood, and chuckled.  
"There's my boy." She stood up slowly and smirked.  
"I'm no one's boy!"  
"Oh but you are, Angelus. You're mine, my childe..." She spun and kicked sending him crashing through the door, shattering it. "And you are in dire need of punishment." Her eyes flashed an unholy yellow. She charged out the door, right into Angel's foot. As she doubled over, he grabbed her head and rammed it into the wall, hard. She grinned and ducked, kicking his legs from under him. She sat on his stomach and grinned down at him. "Don't you miss this, just a little?" He threw her off and sent her flying into the rickety staircase. Angel grabbed her by the neck and tossed her onto the next landing. He jumped up to meet her.  
She rose to her feet gingerly.  
"You still enjoy it though," she said. "No matter how much you deny it, you still love it." She blocked his blow, twisted his arm and delivered a kick to his stomach, all in one quick, simple, practiced motion. She sent him sprawling into the wall with such force that the plaster began to crack. "The violence is part of you and no pathetic curse will ever change that!" She sent him rolling down the stairs. He landed at Buffy's feet.  
  
The library was alive now, alive with undead activity. Three alien devices formed a triangle of blinking lights in the center. In the middle of that circle lay Snyder, in a pool of his own blood. The Master made the final adjustment on one of the devices.  
"Now, let us begin..." The air above the body began to shimmer and one could, from the corner of one's eye, see a huge cavern filled an unimaginable host of creatures. "No, not here..." The Master made another adjustment and the image shifted, as though the Master had changed the channel. One could now see a multitude of pure demons, big ones, small ones, even some with many arms, others with no arms at all. All were ancient, terrible and far greater than vampires. "Ah," the Master breathed. "There you are..." It was vaguely human in shape. That is to say it had two arms and two legs, both attached to a torso. It was, however, blue. Its wings emerged from its back like parasites. It had a wild unkempt beard. This was Atroxcis, Father Time. He was the Demon of Time, an abusive father to its web, a cruel overlord. The Master smiled. "I'll deal with you later," he murmured for he had found what he sought. "Let us remove it from its prison." The very air was split asunder and from that gash emerged a dark cabinet, forged of smooth obsidian. It lowered gently to the ground. The Master turned all his equipment off. His business was concluded, for now. "Bring it," he commanded. "Bring it with us." He caressed the smooth surface, felt a familiar vibration. "At last, my Tardis is restored to me!"  
  
"And here she comes now," Darla smiles as she descended. "Your girl, ready willing and able to reduce you into so much ash on the wind. It's kill or be killed, Angel, kill or be killed..." Angel didn't move. He just lay motionless at Buffy's feet that single act telling her all she needed to know. "What, not going to lift fist or fang? Fine..." Darla shrugged and met Buffy's eyes. "Sorry honey, but Angelus is feeling a little under the weather. Maybe you should come back tomorrow..." There was only one response Buffy could make.  
"Bitch!" Darla just laughed and clutched her non-beating heart.  
"Ow! That cut deep but do you know what would hurt more?" The smell of gun smoke filled the air. Smoke trickled from the barrel like blood. "If you guessed bullets then you'd be right." Buffy sunk to her knees the spot of red expanding rapidly. "There, you see Angel, she's not too bad. Finish her Angel!" She punched Buffy hard. The sound of her jaw breaking was audible. "Well Angel?" No response. "Angel?" The piece of wood penetrated her heart. "Angel?" She was incredulous. Darla exploded in a cloud of dust. Angel dropped the splinter from his door and rushed to Buffy's side. He said nothing but then actions do speak louder than words.  
  
"Where is Darla?" No one answered. "Well? Answer!" Finally one of the lesser vampires came forward hesitantly.  
"Master," he said. "Darla is dead!"  
"The Slayer!" The Master growled.  
"No sir, I think it was Angelus..." At that the Master seemed to calm. His voice was icy.  
"Tell me she at least planted my device."  
"Yes sir, and she put the Slayer in the hospital, sir." The Master chuckled.  
"Well, it is no great loss. She was arrogant and disobedient. Besides, I told her that Angelus would be the death of her. Oh well, such is fate." He pulled a remote control from his pocket and entered a series of commands. The device Darla had placed in Buffy's room began to tick: 5:00 it now read. The Master smiled grimly. "Soon the Slayer will have nothing left to live for!"  
"Respectfully," one of the braver minions ventured. "You may actually give her a more powerful motive, revenge." The Master regarded him for a moment. 4:35.  
"Perhaps you're right. I think it is time to bring in an expert." The Master chuckled. "James," he called. The vampire in question stepped forward.  
"Master?"  
"I want you to find William..."  
"William?" James interrupted.  
"Oh yes, I forgot. He goes by another name now. Does a vampire called Spike ring a bell? I think he's in Prague somewhere. Tell him the Reverend Magister needs a favor..."  
  
The dial now read 0:05. An owl hooted and several cars drove by. Then the countdown was complete and the Summers residence exploded, igniting the night sky with the orange of flame. Within moments the house was reduced to rubble. Not even Mr. Gordo survived...  
It was exactly 1:35 in the morning and Mrs. Joyce Summers was lying in a hospital bed. Her daughter was in the next bed on the right with a gunshot wound and her home was in ruins. She was sleeping peacefully unaware of any of it. Buffy, however, was wide-awake. She was kept awake by a single thought: whoever the new big bad was, he was just getting started... 


End file.
